Forum rules
All messages are the expression of the contributors, who are solely responsible for the content. The forum does not endorse any views. ZERO TOLERANCE for any obscene language, advertisement, lies/rumors and attack of this forum.

1995*: China built indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloys prior to 1995. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, actual DD3 discovery was probably closer to year 1990)

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

"5 Things You Didn’t Know About China’s Terra-Cotta ArmyBy Kate Springer | May 04, 2012...1. Preservation Power Archaeologists have unearthed roughly 40,000 bronze weapons from the terra-cotta pits. From spears to battle axes, crossbows to arrowheads, these exquisitely made pieces have been preserved with the help of a protective chromium coating. Though both the Germans and Americans invented this chrome-plating technology in 1937 and ’50, respectively, it existed in China 2,200 years ago."

1984: China built its first cryogenic YF-73 rocket engine.1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1995*: China built indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloys prior to 1995. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, actual DD3 discovery was probably closer to year 1990)

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today." (Source: China’s Anti-Carrier Ballistic Missile Now Opposite Taiwan | Bloomberg)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1995*: China built indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloys prior to 1995. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, actual DD3 discovery was probably closer to year 1990)

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)

"Submarine launch of JL-2 SLBM"

[Note: Thank you to ChineseTiger1986 for noticing the Pentagon update on the JL-2 SLBM.]

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1995*: China built indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloys prior to 1995. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, actual DD3 discovery was probably closer to year 1990)

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013."2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles. Source: Jane's Defence

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force recently received 15 H-6K bombers with nuclear capabilities, according to British military digest Jane’s Defence Weekly....Jane’s Defence was the first media outlet to confirm that the H6-K had formally entered active service....H-6K reportedly has a combat radius of 3,500 KM. The nuclear-capable Changjian (long sword)-10 cruise missiles it carries have a range of 1,500-2,000 KM, effectively extending the bomber’s combat range to 4,000-5,000 KM - long enough to reach Okinawa, Guam and even Hawaii from China’s mainland."

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013."2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.

"According to a Jane’s Defense Weekly article, the PLAAF has also operationally deployed its first generation of locally developed long-range ELINT aircraft in early 1999. According to the report, “four modified TU-154 aircraft, fitted with radomes, have been deployed in the Nanjing MR.” In 1990, the PLAAF upgraded its defense (non-aircraft) capabilities. This involved three of its branches: SAM, AAA, and radar troops. PLA identified the likely problem areas in an article in Jiefangjun Bao, dated July 14, 1998."

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.

----------

"The PLAAF Tu-154M/D's are distinguished by a large 'canoe' faring under the forward fuselage, which is believed to contain a ground-mapping synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system."

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

My comment: Interestingly, China's revelation of its stealth coating preceded by one year the shoot-down of an American F-117 Nighthawk in Serbia. China did not need a sample of the F-117 stealth coating.

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.

"The first Chinese-made atomic clock was built in SHAO in 1972, and since then several hydrogen masers made in SHAO have been used at VLBI stations."

1984: China built its first cryogenic YF-73 rocket engine.

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

WUHAN, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Scientists in central China's Hubei province said they have assembled the country's first optical clock, which measures time more precisely than traditional atomic timekeepers.

The optical clock, based on a single calcium ion, can remain accurate within one second for more than 10 million years, said Gao Kelin, a researcher at the Hubei Academy of Sciences. (article continues)"

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.

----------

Why are atomic clocks important? Precise atomic clocks used in a GPS satellite system can guide MIRVed thermonuclear warheads to their targets with incredible accuracy.

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2011: Chengdu J-20 stealth superfighter has first flight on January 11, 2011.

2012: China sends its first woman taikonaut Liu Yang into space on a 10-day mission.2012: Chinese Jialong manned submersible completes world record-breaking 7,000 meter dive.2012: First sighting of next-generation AESA radar for Type 052C destroyer.2012: DF-41 10-MIRV-capable ICBM with 12,000-15,000km range had first flight on July 24, 2012.2012: Chinese Type 056 corvette enters service.2012: New Chinese thermonuclear-capable IRBM with 4,000km range (to potentially strike Guam).2012: China's Beidou System successfully covers all of China and the surrounding region.2012: Shenyang J-31 medium-range stealth fighter has first flight on October 31, 2012.2012: China builds its first optical clock (which is more precise than an atomic clock).

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.2013: Bill Gertz reports China is building 1,240 miles of special tracks for rail-mobile ICBMs.

China is building strategic long-range missile trains as part of its major nuclear forces buildup, according to new information from China and U.S. strategic specialists.

Chinese state-run television recently broadcast a program monitored in Taiwan that disclosed new details of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) rail basing system for ICBMs, including the possibility of a rail-mobile launcher. The program was uncovered and translated by Georgetown University’s Asian Arms Control Project.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force recently sought proposals from the U.S. defense industry for a future U.S. rail-mobile ICBM that would be hidden in tunnels.

According to an analysis of the Chinese television program, China already has deployed strategic missile trains as part of a nuclear forces tunnel and basing system that until recently was a closely guarded secret.

Video released by the Chinese shows the strategic missile train disguised as a military passenger train with windows, but hollowed out for holding China’s new long-range missiles, known as DF-31 and DF-31A systems. Those systems are currently deployed on road-mobile launchers.

The program revealed that the Chinese are building between 620 miles and 1,240 miles of special rail tracks capable of handling the heavy ballistic missile trains.

Pentagon spokesmen declined to comment on reports of Chinese railing mobile missiles, stating that information on the weapons is secret.

Phillip Karber, a former arms control official who started the Georgetown arms project, said if China deploys rail-mobile missile forces over the next decade, it will pose “major questions for American strategy and arms control policy.”

“At first, a few experimental units may not mean much, but the longer they are secretly deployed, the greater our uncertainty on the numbers and the implications.”

Karber said he shares concerns of arms control specialists who are critical of the U.S. government for not providing more public details about China’s rail-based nuclear missiles.

“The open source material we have seen are like the shadows flickering on Plato’s cave—ominous but also prone to exaggeration,” he said. “Eventually we are going to need to have a serious discussion of the strategic and arms control implications of China’s strategic tunneling and rail-based ICBMs. But without more information it’s likely to produce more heat than light.”

The Georgetown arms project triggered controversy last year by scooping the U.S. intelligence community in an assessment of China’s underground nuclear facilities, dubbed the Underground Great Wall.

Regarding U.S. missile trains, the U.S. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center earlier this month published a proposal for the defense industry seeking ideas for modernizing U.S. ground-based strategic missiles. The proposal stated that one option is to look at rail-mobile “tunnel concept.”

“The tunnel concept mode operates similar to a subway system but with only a single transporter/launcher and missile dedicated to a given tunnel,” the Air Force said. “The vehicle moves at random down the length of the tunnel. The tunnel is long enough to improve survivability but leaving enough room to permit adequate ‘rattle space’ in the event of an enemy attack.”

The missile tunnel diameter would be large enough to fit a missile and mobile launcher described as “self-propelled, unmanned cars [that] can move via rail or in a ‘trackless’ configuration.”

Chinese rail basing of nuclear missiles also was disclosed by the former head of Russian strategic nuclear forces, retired Col. Gen. Viktor Yesin, during a visit to Washington.

Yesin said Russian intelligence had details of the Chinese rail basing system that appears to resemble the Soviet Union’s SS-24 rail-mobile nuclear missile force, the only such rail based ICBM in the world. That system was taken out of service between 2000 and 2008.

Yesin told a forum on Capitol Hill that Soviet SS-24s were hidden in specially hardened railway spurs to avoid detection and targeting by the United States.

During the visit, Yesin told the conference that Russia believes the Chinese rail-mobile missile system is more reliant on the system of some 3,000 miles of tunnels for the rail-mobile missile.

“We are underestimating Chinese military power,” Yesin said in an interview last month explaining the rationale behind the nuclear buildup. “And China has very ambitious tasks. China has the goal of catching up with the U.S. on GDP by 2025, 2030.”

Karber said the U.S. military in the past considered a rail basing system for Minuteman ICBMs and the Air Force recently sought ideas from the defense industry for a rail- and tunnel-based ICBM system.

However, “the American military has had no operational experience with deployed rail-based missile systems,” Karber said.

Pressure from American arms control advocates in the past dissuaded the United States from deploying rail-mobile ICBMs based on concerns that the combination of hard-to-locate rail mobility and multiple warheads was regarded as potentially destabilizing.

Yesin said in December that Russia strengthened 6,200 miles of rail lines with stronger gauge track to support the heavier ICBM rail cars and allow them to launch the missiles from trains that were moved around the country.

Chinese military commentators have stated in recent years that China is currently converting up to 1,200 miles of track for heavy missile trains.

Chinese state-controlled media also have said the Chinese military’s missile train is built on a Ukrainian design and technology transfer.

Yesin, in the Capitol Hill speech, confirmed that the SS-24 was designed in the Ukraine during the Soviet Union. He noted close similarities between the SS-24 and video and photos of the Chinese missile train.

Video footage obtained from official Chinese television also reveals missiles being loaded horizontally through the ends of rail cars even though the railcars had retractable roofs indicating possible launcher capabilities.

Yesin said Russian assessments are that the end-loading was an attempt to avoid damage to the car and missile while loading.

Disclosure of the rail-mobile missile system comes amid reports that China also is developing MIRV warheads for its growing ICBM force. Russian SS-24s carried up to 10 warheads each.

Each SS-24 train carried three missile launch cars and the total force of at least 12 trains for a total of up to 360 nuclear warheads capable of hitting the United States.

Georgetown students with the Asian Arms Control Project translated details of the Chinese reports of the missile train.

According to a Taiwanese television analysis of the CCTV report, the Chinese missile train is a “formidable” strategic weapon.

“This missile train is of very high importance,” one Taiwanese commentator said. “So the Party has already made 1,000 to 2,000 kilometers of track for it. Also, it can reach speeds of between 100 and 200 kilometers per hour, so this is the nuclear train’s most terrifying feature.”

Such mobile ICBMs are considered destabilizing to the strategic nuclear balance because they are hard to locate, can be set up quickly, and are able to be launched rapidly with little or no warning.

Richard Fisher, a China military affairs expert, said the United States should also be concerned by signs that Moscow is planning to revive its rail-mobile ICBM program.

'I would expect that Russia would be designing new systems that could more easily handle new lighter solid-fueled ICBMs, a direction that might also interest the PLA,' China’s military, Fisher said.

'Given the PLA’s interest in ‘leap ahead’ technologies, they might even be considering how to adopt their new high speed trains to the deployment of ICBMs.'"

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

"China Reveals New Short-Range MissileDF-12 among more than 5 new short-range missilesBY: Bill GertzAugust 2, 2013 5:00 am...Chinese military has deployed a new advanced short-range missile known as the DF-12....Information from Chinese sales representatives and promotional materials also indicates these new short-range ballistic missile are maneuverable, which further complicates the task of missile defenses and can be armed with different types of warheads,” Fisher said.

'In PLA service it can be expected that some DF-12 class SRBMs will be armed with tactical nuclear warheads.'"

----------

My analysis:

In 2001, George W. Bush announced America's withdrawal from the ABM treaty. America intended to build about twenty interceptors to neutralize China's retaliatory strike capability.

In response, China started arming its DF-5 ICBMs with MIRVs and MARVs. This was the only way to ensure that China could maintain a minimum thermonuclear deterrent against an aggressor.

Since China could not predict American progress with missile interceptors, China had to follow a conservative path to preserve its second-strike capability.

China developed the DF-31A 3-MIRVed ICBM, which is road-mobile. From Bill Gertz, we know China is currently building about 1,000 miles of special train tracks for rail-mobile ICBMs. The DF-31A provided new capability, because the DF-5 is not road-mobile. Also, the DF-31A is solid-fueled and can be launched in 15 minutes.

The next evolutionary step was to develop the DF-41 10-MIRVed solid-fueled ICBM. This is a more efficient way to deliver more MIRVs per missile.

To evade American missile defense, Chinese thermonuclear warheads are MARVed to fly along an unpredictable and non-ballistic path. This technology was first employed on the thermonuclear-armed ICBMs, because China needed to preserve its second-strike capability.

The MARV technology migrated over to the DF-21D ASBM IRBM/MRBM and found a new use in destroying capital ships (e.g. aircraft carriers or destroyers) with a conventional warhead.

In the DF-12 SRBM, we can see that Chinese MARV technology has diffused all the way down the food chain to a relatively unimportant tactical weapon like a SRBM.

An ICBM serves a strategic purpose. Its job is to wipe out the opponent.

A DF-21D ASBM IRBM/MRBM is not a strategic weapon, but it can help in accomplishing strategic goals by wiping out the enemy's most important capital ships.

A SRBM (like the DF-12) is not that important and can only help to accomplish tactical objectives. However, it is an indication of the depth of China's modernization that we're seeing MARVs being deployed at the SRBM level.

In conclusion, it has been twelve years after George W. Bush withdrew America from the ABM treaty. Ironically, China is stronger than ever. The United States had intended to weaken China's bargaining power by neutralizing its second-strike capability.

Instead, China's second-strike thermonuclear warheads have mushroomed into the hundreds (or thousands) of thermonuclear warheads. Additionally, Chinese MARV technology has now diffused down into the SRBM level to enhance China's tactical strike capability. To my knowledge, no Patriot missile has ever been shown capable of intercepting a Mach 6 MARV. In fact, the current Patriot design limitation is Mach 5 and can only intercept a missile on a ballistic path.

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2011: Chengdu J-20 stealth superfighter has first flight on January 11, 2011.

2012: China sends its first woman taikonaut Liu Yang into space on a 10-day mission.2012: Chinese Jialong manned submersible completes world record-breaking 7,000 meter dive.2012: First sighting of next-generation AESA radar for Type 052C destroyer.2012: DF-41 10-MIRV-capable ICBM with 12,000-15,000km range had first flight on July 24, 2012.2012: Chinese Type 056 corvette enters service.2012: New Chinese thermonuclear-capable IRBM with 4,000km range (to potentially strike Guam).2012: China's Beidou System successfully covers all of China and the surrounding region.2012: Shenyang J-31 medium-range stealth fighter has first flight on October 31, 2012.2012: China builds its first optical clock (which is more precise than an atomic clock).

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.2013: Bill Gertz reports China is building 1,240 miles of special tracks for rail-mobile ICBMs.2013: China deploys advanced SRBM with MARV (maneuverable reentry vehicle) thermonuclear-capable warhead2013: China's "Lijian stealth UAV from Hongdu has made its first flight on Nov. 21 at 13:00 local time. The flight was 20 minutes."

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2011: Chengdu J-20 stealth superfighter has first flight on January 11, 2011.

2012: China sends its first woman taikonaut Liu Yang into space on a 10-day mission.2012: Chinese Jialong manned submersible completes world record-breaking 7,000 meter dive.2012: First sighting of next-generation AESA radar for Type 052C destroyer.2012: DF-41 10-MIRV-capable ICBM with 12,000-15,000km range had first flight on July 24, 2012.2012: Chinese Type 056 corvette enters service.2012: New Chinese thermonuclear-capable IRBM with 4,000km range (to potentially strike Guam).2012: China's Beidou System successfully covers all of China and the surrounding region.2012: Shenyang J-31 medium-range stealth fighter has first flight on October 31, 2012.2012: China builds its first optical clock (which is more precise than an atomic clock).

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.2013: Bill Gertz reports China is building 1,240 miles of special tracks for rail-mobile ICBMs.2013: China deploys advanced SRBM with MARV (maneuverable reentry vehicle) thermonuclear-capable warhead2013: China's "Lijian stealth UAV from Hongdu has made its first flight on Nov. 21 at 13:00 local time. The flight was 20 minutes."2013: China's Yutu rover separates from Chang'e-3 Moon Lander on December 14th

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2011: Chengdu J-20 stealth superfighter has first flight on January 11, 2011.

2012: China sends its first woman taikonaut Liu Yang into space on a 10-day mission.2012: Chinese Jialong manned submersible completes world record-breaking 7,000 meter dive.2012: First sighting of next-generation AESA radar for Type 052C destroyer.2012: DF-41 10-MIRV-capable ICBM with 12,000-15,000km range had first flight on July 24, 2012.2012: Chinese Type 056 corvette enters service.2012: New Chinese thermonuclear-capable IRBM with 4,000km range (to potentially strike Guam).2012: China's Beidou System successfully covers all of China and the surrounding region.2012: Shenyang J-31 medium-range stealth fighter has first flight on October 31, 2012.2012: China builds its first optical clock (which is more precise than an atomic clock).

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.2013: Bill Gertz reports China is building 1,240 miles of special tracks for rail-mobile ICBMs.2013: China deploys advanced SRBM with MARV (maneuverable reentry vehicle) thermonuclear-capable warhead2013: China's "Lijian stealth UAV from Hongdu has made its first flight on Nov. 21 at 13:00 local time. The flight was 20 minutes."2013: China's Yutu rover separates from Chang'e-3 Moon Lander on December 14, 2013.

China's military last week conducted the first flight test of a new ultra-high speed missile vehicle aimed at delivering warheads through U.S. missile defenses, Pentagon officials said.

The test of the new hypersonic glide vehicle was carried out Jan. 9 and the experimental weapon is being dubbed the WU-14 by the Pentagon, said officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The hypersonic vehicle represents a major step forward in China's secretive strategic nuclear and conventional military and missile programs.

The new hypersonic vehicle was detected traveling at extremely high speeds during the flight test over China, said officials who discussed some details of the test.

The hypersonic craft appears designed to be launched atop one of China's intercontinental ballistic missiles, and then glides and maneuvers at speeds of up to 10 times the speed of sound from near space en route to its target, the officials said.

A Pentagon spokesman confirmed the test but declined to provide details.

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2011: Chengdu J-20 stealth superfighter has first flight on January 11, 2011.

2012: China sends its first woman taikonaut Liu Yang into space on a 10-day mission.2012: Chinese Jialong manned submersible completes world record-breaking 7,000 meter dive.2012: First sighting of next-generation AESA radar for Type 052C destroyer.2012: DF-41 10-MIRV-capable ICBM with 12,000-15,000km range had first flight on July 24, 2012.2012: Chinese Type 056 corvette enters service.2012: New Chinese thermonuclear-capable IRBM with 4,000km range (to potentially strike Guam).2012: China's Beidou System successfully covers all of China and the surrounding region.2012: Shenyang J-31 medium-range stealth fighter has first flight on October 31, 2012.2012: China builds its first optical clock (which is more precise than an atomic clock).

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.2013: Bill Gertz reports China is building 1,240 miles of special tracks for rail-mobile ICBMs.2013: China deploys advanced SRBM with MARV (maneuverable reentry vehicle) thermonuclear-capable warhead2013: China's "Lijian stealth UAV from Hongdu has made its first flight on Nov. 21 at 13:00 local time. The flight was 20 minutes."2013: China's Yutu rover separates from Chang'e-3 Moon Lander on December 14, 2013.2013: China's Z-20 military medium-lift 10-ton utility helicopter has its first flight on December 23, 2013

"China’s newest military helicopter made its first flight on December 23 at a location in 'northeastern China,' a site presumed to be the Harbin facility. The aircraft, believed to be designated Z-20, is in the '10-tonne' class, and is thought to be a collaborative effort among Harbin, Changhe and the 602 Institute....The first public glimpse of the Z-20 came in August 2013, when the heavily wrapped fuselage was photographed being transported by road." (Caption from AIN Online. Thank you to Mike168 for the photograph.)

The comments came in the wake of media reports that the nation's first Chinese-made medium-lift utility helicopter has made its maiden flight.

"The Z-20 is supposed to fill a long-time void in the helicopter fleet of the People's Liberation Army. Hopefully, it will fulfill the requirements of the PLA's ground force and navy," Wang Ya'nan, deputy editor-in-chief at Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said on Thursday.

"Though we now have the advanced WZ-10 and WZ-19 attack helicopters in the army, the absence of a suitable, Chinese-made utility helicopter hampers the army's ability to transport strike forces and carry out support missions."

The situation will change if the Z-20 enters into service soon, he said.

The Z-20 designation has not been officially confirmed, but it is widely used by military enthusiasts and observers.

A prototype of the Z-20 conducted its maiden flight on an unidentified airfield in Northeast China on Dec 23, Chinese media quoted aviation sources as reporting.

The helicopter has a takeoff weight of 10 metric tons and is able to fly at high altitudes, the reports said.

Fang Bing, a military expert from PLA National Defense University, said China has long been troubled by the lack of its own midsize helicopter, and all of the helicopters previously developed by China are either too heavy or too light to serve as tactical utility helicopters.

The backbone of the PLA ground force's air transport team is believed to be Russian-made Mil Mi-17s, purchased from Russia in the 1990s and a variation of the Mil Mi-8, which was imported by China in the 1970s. China also bought 24 Sikorsky S-70 series medium-lift helicopters from the United States in the 1980s and assigned them to transportation tasks in high-altitude, mountainous regions of the Tibet and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions.

"Judging from information available now, the Z-20 will mainly be used as a transport vehicle, but because it is designed to be capable of serving multiple purposes, it can be refitted to conduct attack, early-warning, refueling or anti-submarine missions," Chen Hong, a researcher at the PLA Air Force Command Institute in Beijing, told Beijing News.

"Although the aircraft's appearance bears some resemblances to the US' Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, it doesn't necessarily mean the Z-20 is merely a knockoff of its US counterpart," he said. The Z-20 has a five-blade rotor compared with the UH-60's four blades, he added.

"The addition of a blade will enable the Z-20 to outperform the UH-60 when it comes to lift force, ferry range and payload capacity," he said.

The Z-20 also has a larger cabin and a different landing gear and tail than the UH-60, Chen added.

Wang speculated that the helicopter can carry about 1.5 tons of cargo internally and up to 5 tons of cargo externally in a sling, enabling China to launch low-altitude, airborne assaults by task forces.

He also said the helicopter's designers used several cutting-edge technologies on the helicopter to reduce its noise, thus improving the stealth capability.

The Z-20 will be able to be deployed aboard any air-capable frigate, destroyer, amphibious assault ship or aircraft carrier and handle patrol, reconnaissance, rescue, supply and anti-submarine missions, he said.

China has seen remarkable achievements by its aviation planners and designers in the helicopter field since 2009, when delivery of the domestically developed WZ-10 attack helicopter to the military began.

Two years later, the WZ-19, a light-duty reconnaissance and attack helicopter, was put into service.

Designers are also working on the development of next-generation helicopters that can achieve a speed of 500 km per hour, said Lin Zuoming, chairman of Aviation Industry Corp of China."

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.1988: Julang 1 (JL-1) SLBM is fully operational with the successful test firing from a submerged Xia SSBN in September 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2011: Chengdu J-20 stealth superfighter has first flight on January 11, 2011.

2012: China sends its first woman taikonaut Liu Yang into space on a 10-day mission.2012: Chinese Jialong manned submersible completes world record-breaking 7,000 meter dive.2012: First sighting of next-generation AESA radar for Type 052C destroyer.2012: DF-41 10-MIRV-capable ICBM with 12,000-15,000km range had first flight on July 24, 2012.2012: Chinese Type 056 corvette enters service.2012: New Chinese thermonuclear-capable IRBM with 4,000km range (to potentially strike Guam).2012: China's Beidou System successfully covers all of China and the surrounding region.2012: Shenyang J-31 medium-range stealth fighter has first flight on October 31, 2012.2012: China builds its first optical clock (which is more precise than an atomic clock).

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.2013: Bill Gertz reports China is building 1,240 miles of special tracks for rail-mobile ICBMs.2013: China deploys advanced SRBM with MARV (maneuverable reentry vehicle) thermonuclear-capable warhead2013: China's "Lijian stealth UAV from Hongdu has made its first flight on Nov. 21 at 13:00 local time. The flight was 20 minutes."2013: China's Yutu rover separates from Chang'e-3 Moon Lander on December 14, 2013.2013: China's Z-20 military medium-lift 10-ton utility helicopter has its first flight on December 23, 2013

It is easy to identify a Chinese JL-1 SLBM, which has a diagonal-stripe pattern.

Launch of China's JL-1 SLBM from the video.

"The Julang 1 is China’s first submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). It was also the first Chinese-built missile that employed solid-propellant technology." (Caption credit: China Tech Gadget)

----------

From the Federation of American Scientists, we have the following chronology.

1978: JL-1 solid-propellant rocket engine successfully tested in 1978.1982: First JL-1 test launch from a submerged pontoon near the Yellow Sea on April 30, 1982.1982: First successful JL-1 launch from a Golf Class test-bed submarine on October 12, 1982.1982: Second successful JL-1 launch from the Golf submarine also occurred on October 12, 1982.1988: First successful launch of JL-1 from a Xia SSBN on September 27, 1988.1988: JL-1 is fully operational with the successful test firing from a submerged Xia in September 1988.

The JL-1 [CSS-N-3] is a two-stage solid-propellant submarine-launched ballistic missile deployed on the Type-092 Xia class submarines. The Ju Lang-1 [or "Giant Wave-1"] missile is a sea-based variant of the land-based ground-mobile DF-21. JL-1 is ejected from a submerged submarine with the first-stage engine igniting after the missile has emerged from the water. The first successful test of the 1.4m-diameter solid-rocket engine for the JL-1 came in early 1978. The first test launch of the two stage CSS-NX-3 missile took place on 30 April, 1982 from submerged pontoon near Huludao (Yellow Sea). The first successful launch of the JL-1 was achieved on 12 October 1982, from a Golf Class trials submarine, marking a major milestone in a development program that had been initiated in March 1967. The second was launched on 12 October 1982. The first firing from Xia was in 1985 and was unsuccessful and it was not until 27 September 1988 that a satisfactory launch took place. Although the missile put to sea as early as 1983, it did not become fully operational until the successful test firing from submerged Xia in September 1988."

"JL-1/-1A (CSS-N-3)...The JL-1 has a range of 2,150 km (1,336 miles) with an accuracy of 700 m CEP obtained from an inertial guidance system. It delivers a single warhead payload that weighs up to 600 kg, which is believed to carry a 250 or 500 kT yield nuclear device. As the DF-21 is essentially a modified JL-1, it is likely that the JL-1 can be equipped with the same high explosive, EMP, submunition and chemical warheads. The JL-1 has a launch weight of 14,700 kg, a length of 10.7 m and a width of 1.4 m. It uses a two-stage solid propellant engine which initiates after the missile leaves the water. The missile is cold-launched from a submarine canister.[3]...An upgraded version of the missile, the JL-1A (or the JL-21A), probably entered service around the same time as its land-based counterpart, the DF-21A in 1996. Some reports suggest that the Xia-class submarine was outfitted for these newer missiles – which would leave the original missile without a launch platform. It is assumed that the Type 094 submarine replaced the Xia-class as the primary nuclear deterrent submarine in 2009 or 2010, but reports cannot confirm this.[6]

The JL-1A has a range of 2,500 km (1,553 miles) with an accuracy of 50 m CEP. This accuracy is obtained from an inertial guidance system that is integrated with a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) and radar correlation systems. It delivers a single warhead payload that weighs up to 500 kg which is believed to carry a 90 kT nuclear warhead, though it is possible it uses a selectable yield nuclear device with settings of 20, 90 and 150 kT. As the DF-21 is essentially a modified JL-1, it is likely that the JL-1A can be equipped with high explosive, EMP, submunition and chemical warheads. The JL-1A has a launch weight of 15,200 kg, a length of 12.3 m and a width of 1.4 m. It uses a two-stage solid propellant motor that initiates from a cold launch once the missile has left the submarine canister and exited the water.[7]

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.1988: Julang 1 (JL-1) SLBM is fully operational with the successful test firing from a submerged Xia SSBN in September 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2011: Chengdu J-20 stealth superfighter has first flight on January 11, 2011.

2012: China sends its first woman taikonaut Liu Yang into space on a 10-day mission.2012: Chinese Jialong manned submersible completes world record-breaking 7,000 meter dive.2012: First sighting of next-generation AESA radar for Type 052C destroyer.2012: DF-41 10-MIRV-capable ICBM with 12,000-15,000km range had first flight on July 24, 2012.2012: Chinese Type 056 corvette enters service.2012: New Chinese thermonuclear-capable IRBM with 4,000km range (to potentially strike Guam).2012: China's Beidou System successfully covers all of China and the surrounding region.2012: Shenyang J-31 medium-range stealth fighter has first flight on October 31, 2012.2012: China builds its first optical clock (which is more precise than an atomic clock).

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.2013: Bill Gertz reports China is building 1,240 miles of special tracks for rail-mobile ICBMs.2013: China deploys advanced SRBM with MARV (maneuverable reentry vehicle) thermonuclear-capable warhead2013: China's "Lijian stealth UAV from Hongdu has made its first flight on Nov. 21 at 13:00 local time. The flight was 20 minutes."2013: China's Yutu rover separates from Chang'e-3 Moon Lander on December 14, 2013.2013: China's Z-20 military medium-lift 10-ton utility helicopter has its first flight on December 23, 2013

2014: China conducts its first HGV (hypersonic glide vehicle) flight on January 9, 2014.2014: China conducts first flight test of its WS-20 large turbofan high-bypass engine.

----------

In the photograph, you see one large-diameter Chinese WS-20 high-bypass energy-efficient turbofan engine being tested. The other three are smaller-diameter, low-bypass, and less energy-efficient engines. The WS-20 turbofan engine is suitable for transport aircraft where range is important.

"China Flies First Large Turbofanby David DonaldAIN Defense Perspective » January 17, 2014

The first flight test example of the WS-20 turbofan is seen on the port inboard pylon of an Il-76 testbed. (Photo: via Chinese Internet)

Photos have appeared on Chinese websites of an Ilyushin Il-76 testbed fitted with a large high-bypass-ratio turbofan under the port inner pylon. The engine is believed to be the WS-20 (also reported as WS-118), which is under development as a possible powerplant for the Xian Y-20 airlifter. The prototype Y-20s, the first of which flew on January 26 last year, are powered by the NPO Saturn D-30KP-2 imported from Russia. This engine is also used by the Il-76 itself, and by China’s H-6K missile-carrying bomber.

While the performance of the 26,500-pound-thrust D-30KP-2 is adequate for initial flight-testing of the Y-20, and perhaps limited initial operational use, it is not powerful enough for ultimate requirements set for the Y-20. To meet those needs, at least three powerplant programs have been mentioned as potential engines for the production airlifter, which is scheduled to enter service in 2017.

Shenyang-Liming has been developing the WS-20, using the core of the WS-10A fighter engine as a basis. This engine, though it has gone through many troubles, is now in production for the J-11B, a Chinese development of the Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker.” The relative maturity of the WS-10A core has given the WS-20 a lead in terms of development of a large fan engine, although it may still not deliver the desired power levels.

Two other programs that may be applicable to the Y-20 are the 30,000-pound-thrust ACAE CJ-1000A, primarily intended to power the Comac C919 regional airliner, and the SF-A engine. The latter is under development at Xian and is based on the WS-15 fighter engine core.

In any case, flight testing of the WS-20 represents a major milestone for Chinese industry, as it is the first indigenous high-bypass-ratio powerplant to take to the air. China’s aero engine industry has been struggling to match the technological achievements of other areas of the country’s aerospace sector. The advanced metallurgy required to fabricate efficient high-temperature blades has reportedly been lacking, and help has been sought from outside."

1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)

1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.1988: Julang 1 (JL-1) SLBM is fully operational with the successful test firing from a submerged Xia SSBN in September 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"

2003: China sends its first taikonaut Yang Liwei into space.2003: China's KJ-2000 AWACS with domestic AESA radar has its first flight.2003*: DD6 is China's indigenous second-generation nickel-based single-crystal superalloy (Earliest English article citation is year 2003. However, actual DD6 discovery was probably closer to year 2000.)

2011: Chengdu J-20 stealth superfighter has first flight on January 11, 2011.

2012: China sends its first woman taikonaut Liu Yang into space on a 10-day mission.2012: Chinese Jialong manned submersible completes world record-breaking 7,000 meter dive.2012: First sighting of next-generation AESA radar for Type 052C destroyer.2012: DF-41 10-MIRV-capable ICBM with 12,000-15,000km range had first flight on July 24, 2012.2012: Chinese Type 056 corvette enters service.2012: New Chinese thermonuclear-capable IRBM with 4,000km range (to potentially strike Guam).2012: China's Beidou System successfully covers all of China and the surrounding region.2012: Shenyang J-31 medium-range stealth fighter has first flight on October 31, 2012.2012: China builds its first optical clock (which is more precise than an atomic clock).

2013: China's Y-20 heavy-lift military transport conducts first flight on January 26, 2013.2013: "The Chinese military has deployed its new anti-ship ballistic missile [ASBM or "carrier killer"] along its southern coast facing Taiwan, the Pentagon’s top military intelligence officer said today."2013: "After a round of successful testing in 2012, the JL-2 appears ready to reach initial operational capability in 2013." (Source [p. 39, Pentagon 2013 report on Chinese Military Power]: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf)2013: China has deployed H-6K "God of War" bomber that is capable of carrying thermonuclear-capable CJ-10 cruise missiles.2013: Bill Gertz reports China is building 1,240 miles of special tracks for rail-mobile ICBMs.2013: China deploys advanced SRBM with MARV (maneuverable reentry vehicle) thermonuclear-capable warhead2013: China's "Lijian stealth UAV from Hongdu has made its first flight on Nov. 21 at 13:00 local time. The flight was 20 minutes."2013: China's Yutu rover separates from Chang'e-3 Moon Lander on December 14, 2013.2013: China's Z-20 military medium-lift 10-ton utility helicopter has its first flight on December 23, 2013

2014: China conducts its first HGV (hypersonic glide vehicle) flight on January 9, 2014.2014: China conducts first flight test of its WS-20 large turbofan high-bypass engine.2014: Deagel reports China's YJ-18 AEGIS KILLER has reached IOC (ie. initial operational capability) and it is currently an exclusive offensive weapon on the Chinese Type 052D destroyer

Some Chinese media websites release a clip showing PLA might have been successful in making an Eagle Strike missile dubbed YJ-18. It will travel at subsonic speed initially, and at Mach 3 when approaching the target within the last 46 kilometers. What's amazing is that the missile can change its path showing 'S' pattern making it hard to intercept, even for Aegis class ships as claimed by the report."

1984: China built its first cryogenic YF-73 rocket engine.1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.1988: Julang 1 (JL-1) SLBM is fully operational with the successful test firing from a submerged Xia SSBN in September 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"1999: Chinese JSTARS Tu-154M/D Electronic Intelligence Aircraft in service (e.g. Careless B-4138).

"China has begin installing sensitive hydrophones on the floor of the China Seas in an effort to detect and track submarines belonging to the U.S. and its allies.

Lyle Goldstein and Shannon Knight, both highly-respected naval analysts, described the new listening system as “startling” in a recent article in Proceedings, a naval professional journal.

They claimed the 'fixed ocean-floor acoustic array' is evidence that Beijing has begin to take seriously the incredible destructive power of enemy submarines—especially American ones.

China’s hydrophone system, which first appeared in 2012, apparently copies America’s own Sound Surveillance System, or SOSUS—an extensive network of hydrophones that helped the U.S. Navy track virtually all Soviet submarine movements starting in the mid-1950s.

The Soviets learned about SOSUS from American turncoat John Walker in 1968 and subsequently upgraded their sub designs to be quieter. In turn, the U.S. Navy enhanced SOSUS with better hydrophones and trawler vessels towing sensitive sonars.

At its peak effectiveness, SOSUS could detect submarines thousands of miles away. The hydrophone network was America’s 'secret weapon,' according to the Navy—even when it wasn’t technically secret any more.

If China’s listening system is even half as effective as SOSUS, it could spell trouble for the U.S., Japanese and Australian navies, among China’s other rivals. The U.S.-led alliance’s numerous, high-tech submarines are its greatest advantage over Beijing’s rising military—and the surest guarantee against Chinese aggression.

If Beijing can reliably track American and allied subs, it can hunt them and potentially destroy them in wartime, thus defeating Washington’s first line of defense in the Pacific.

To be sure, there’s more to setting up a listening array than merely planting hydrophones in the seabed. SOSUS owed its success to steady investment and constant improvement over a period of 40 years—not to mention the U.S. Navy’s careful cultivation of a cadre of specialists able to interpret the array’s data output.

China has just begun setting up its own 'Sino-SOSUS'—and could need years or decades to refine the related technology and techniques."

1984: China built its first cryogenic YF-73 rocket engine.1986: China built an indigenous DD3 nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. (Earliest English article citation is year 1995. However, the first published Chinese research paper on DD3 discovery was in 1986.)1988: China test-detonates a 1- to 20-kiloton Neutron Bomb on September 29, 1988.1988: Julang 1 (JL-1) SLBM is fully operational with the successful test firing from a submerged Xia SSBN in September 1988.

1998: Chinese J-10 Vigorous Dragon had its first flight. Officially unveiled in 2007.1998: "At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, the [Chinese] Seek Optics Company displayed information of its stealth coating and software for stealth shaping.[63]"1999: Chinese JSTARS Tu-154M/D Electronic Intelligence Aircraft in service (e.g. Careless B-4138).

By linking two or more Chinese JY-26 counter-stealth phased array VHF/UHF radars into a giant interferometer, the sensitivity of the JY-26 counter-stealth radar network would increase exponentially.

The F-22 is optimized for stealth against X-band radar, which is about 3cm in wavelength. The JY-26 can operate in the UHF wavelength of 30cm (or 3 decimeters) and up. The Chinese JY-26 counter-stealth radar should be able to detect the F-22.

The JY-26 Radar on display at the Zhuhai Air show. Photo: Sina Defense

China’s Nanjing defense electronics technology group is unveiling a new phased array radar iterating in the VHF/UHF waveband, designed for long range air surveillance and target acquisition role. Operating in the long wave band – VHF/UHF enables the JY-26 to detect targets presenting low radar cross section (stealth aircraft) at the decimetric, centimetre and millimetre wave bands. The use of phased array technology also provides users the ability to increase the power transmitted at a certain location where a target presence is suspected, thus increasing the probability of detection of low-RCS targets.

The manufacturer also claims the radar is designed with robust anti-jam and electronic counter-countermeasures, enabling it to face strike forces conducting advanced anti-access/area denial (a2/ad).

It is using advanced, two dimensional digital, active phased array system, enabling high accuracy, target tracking and separation as well as operation at long ranges of up to 500 km.

The US is currently deploying advanced stealth aircraft in the Pacific, including B-2 bombers and F-22 Raptor stealth fighters. Both have also deployed on missions near China, providing the Chinese the opportunities to test their new radars against those planes.

Chinese designers at the Airshow China claim the JY-26 radar has already spotted the US Air Force most advanced stealth fighter – the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter, as it flew in South Korea on recent exercises. The radar is being developed at Shandong, located just across the Yellow Sea, separating the Korean peninsula from mainland China.

The capability of the new radar is becoming a critical asset for Beijing, as in the next decade more air forces in Asia Pacific will be equipped with stealth capabilities, these will include new bombers from the USA and Russia, a stealthy fighter plane the Russians are developing with India, an indigenous Korean stealth fighter and F-35s, to be used by the USA, Japan, Australia, and South Korea."